Meeting the WHO guideline on muscle-strengthening activities does not have to be time-consuming

A discussion of time-saving strategies

Dados Bibliográficos

ID22076798
AutoresJulian Brummer (0000-0001-9022-5497, German Cancer Research Center), Florian Herbolsheimer (0000-0002-2137-4082, German Cancer Research Center), Jackson Fyfe (Deakin University), Karen Steindorf (0000-0001-5215-5651, German Cancer Research Center, autor correspondente)
Ano2026
Volume14
Data de publicação2026-07-08
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoFrontiers in Public Health (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 2296-2565 • E-ISSN: 2296-2565
EditoraFrontiers Media SA (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3389/fpubh.2026.1872337
OpenAlexW7167671576
IdiomaEN
Referências citadas78

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends performing muscle-strengthening activities at moderate or greater intensity, involving all major muscle groups, and on at least 2 days per week. However, estimates suggest only about 10–30% of the general population meet the guideline on muscle-strengthening activities, limiting overall (aerobic and muscle-strengthening) physical activity guideline adherence. Lack of time is a commonly cited barrier to being physically active and to performing muscle-strengthening activities specifically. To address this barrier, this Perspective describes evidence-based strategies, including exercise snacks, minimal-dose approaches, and time-saving programming (e.g., using supersets), that improve the time-efficiency of resistance training and may improve adherence to guidelines on muscle-strengthening activities. Upon introducing these strategies and the corresponding evidence, we describe how they could be applied in practice in various exemplary real-world scenarios differing in both time and equipment availability

Guideline · Limiting · Physical activity · Population · Population health · Cardiovascular and exercise physiology · Muscle metabolism and nutrition · Physical Activity and Health